Surrey Archaeological Society

Evaluation by P Guarino of AOC revealed some evidence of modern disturbance but no finds or features of archaeological interest.

Excavation by P Harp and members of SyAS next to Wayneflete’s Tower. The Tower was built by Bishop William of Wayneflete as a gatehouse, dated by dendrochronology to 1462, and is the last remaining standing structure associated with the palace of the bishops of Winchester that once existed here. The excavation revealed a series of brick walls, the bases of which were not reached at the 2.1m-deep extent of the excavation. The walls defined one complete and two partial walls, and the probable base of a slightly later staircase.

Resistivity survey by D and A Graham of SyAS undertaken to investigate the survival and location of the now-buried remains of Alexander Raby’s principal mill at the Downside industrial complex, with a view to locating an excavation trench on the site in 2008. The survey clearly illustrated the differences between what appeared to be the former mill structure and its associated watercourses, which corresponded with historic map information.

Evaluation by R and P Savage of SyAS led to the discovery of a short collapsed section of a post-medieval brick culvert running south-west from Cobham Lodge, probably built at the same time as Cobham Lodge in 1804. The collapse had occurred at a point where the culvert had been entered and altered during the early to mid-20th century, when two blocking walls had been inserted inside the culvert, one on each side of the section, which had now collapsed

Survey of earthworks by J English indicates the presence of boundaries of at least two phases of field systems and a series of gravel quarries preserved by emparkment during the 18th and 19th centuries. An excavation across the putative line of a road pre-dating the emparkment had previously proved inconclusive, but a test pit located in the area of a post-medieval dwelling that formerly stood adjoining the site indicated activity dating from the late 14th or early 15th centuries to the early 19th century. (412)

Evaluation by T Collie of ASE and monitoring of geotechnical investigations by A Margetts of ASE in advance of the proposed construction of a motorway service area. Monitoring of the geotechnical works did not reveal any archaeological finds or features, but the evaluation did uncover a few features, principally on higher and drier ground at the west of the site. The majority of the features were undatable, but one ephemeral feature contained prehistoric pottery, and a gully produced a small assemblage of undiagnostic struck flint.

Observation by G Jackson of SCC of excavated foundation trenches revealed no finds or features of archaeological interest

Evaluation by N Hawkins of PCA revealed no features or finds of archaeological interest.

The first phase of an evaluation by R Oram of TVAS in advance of residential redevelopment did not reveal any features or finds of archaeological interest. The second phase, undertaken by A Taylor of TVAS the following year, revealed evidence of truncation, from both the construction of earlier farm buildings and the removal of contaminated ground, but again no features or finds of archaeological interest. An Anti-Aircraft Defence Tower on the site underwent a programme of building recording by C Challis of TVAS prior to its demolition.

Evaluation by L Gill of ASC revealed no finds or features of archaeological interest.